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Avraban
Avraban, the white phoenix is, among other things, the prime creator god of Banya. He is described as a great white phoenix, who leaves light, creation, and natural order in the wake of his flight, and represents the embodiment of Death, Nature, and Growth. He is dead in Banya, and may not answer prayer, but his name and the echoes and aspects of his existence still hold power in this world, and so he is still worshipped as the prime god of creation in both Caherban and the East. He has had a divine, psuedospousal relationship with the Goddess Niddra, and created the God Mesmagora, who is considered thusly to be his son. The Banyan Story of Avraban "In the beginning, there was nothing but a formless void. In one blinding moment something came from nothing and that something was a thought. That thought became the celestial white phoenix Avraban. His wings spread outwards from his point of creations bringing energy and light to everything he touched. Everywhere he travelled throughout the universe life followed in his glimmering wake. Every single star and galaxy was birthed by his radiant wings. His very presence is life itself. For a time Avraban was content to sail through the cosmos paying little mind to the creatures that sprung up in his wake. As he travelled he gained strength and learned more about himself. The life and strength of every living creature filled him with hope and strength of his own. He came to wonder how and so he descended to our plane. Avraban Learns Of Death When Avraban descended on to our plane he learned of a new condition, death. Being a god, this state was not something he had ever experienced. As he watched over his creations he saw how after a new generation was born the old one died out. Slowly he understood that death was a vital part of life. Each generation stretching forth and improving on the old one. Avraban wanted desperately to partake in this ritual of death a rebirth but was unable to die of old age. Thus, Avraban lit himself on fire and was once more reborn, stronger and more splendid than before and free to grow. Each violent death resulted in his energies casting out further into the void spreading life across every blank corner of the galaxy. Each death destroying all of existence. The more life he created the stronger he became at his core but he was not complete. '' ''Avraban’s Loneliness Avraban soon mastered death and rebirth and took interest in another aspect of life. The bond between lovers, Avraban became enthralled by the subject and sought to create the perfect wife to share his dominion with for all eternity. Without fear, he cut himself in two and burst once more into radiant flames. When he emerged a second celestial phoenix had been created. She was a beautiful red and black like the embers of a dying fire. He immediately fell in love with her graceful mannerisms and glossy coat and set about showing her the world he had created. For a time all was good. The black phoenix came to be known as Niddra and was largely an inactive force in the universe. She was content to watch Avraban’s many demonstrations and exciting discoveries with detachment. One day Avraban sought to teach Niddra about death. He gleefully showed her the ritual, but unlike Avraban she was horrified. For many nights she fretted over the fate of mortal creatures and how they died so meaninglessly. She spied a young girl afflicted with a wasting disease from birth and her heart overflowed with sympathy. She extended her power to the girl and cured her of her ailment and gave her the immortality of a god. This girl came to be known as Dubh the Daughter of Niddra. Niddra flew through the cosmos extending the life of every living creature. Niddra’s Decline The act of saving the Dubh and imparting so much power to the girl quickly took its toll on Niddra. Her glossy coat faded to a dull sheen and her wings became tattered. She lost her ability and will to fly and spent most of her time crawling on her belly. Avraban saw his lover’s condition and despaired and demanded to know what happened. Niddra told him of saving the girl and extending the life of every mortal. Avraban looked at the world and despaired. Niddra had brought longer lives to every creature and with that came sickness, weakness, plague and famine. Avraban could feel this new weakness and stagnation deep in his being. He came to the conclusion that Niddra needed to be reborn along with all creation so that both may be free of sickness. When he attempted to pull Niddra into the sacred fire she resisted and struck him until she got free. When he was reborn he was weak, still in his infancy so she denounced him and death itself. She vowed to find a way to save every mortal from death and slithered away, The Celestial War Angered by Niddra’s actions and indolence Avraban hunted her down. Their battle lasted many days and he was pulled asunder many times by Niddra but always returned stronger. Every strike melted her feathers until they were all but scales. He ripped off her wings and burned her until she seemed to be nothing but a great snake. Still, despite her injuries, she would not yield. She refused to be reborn and so with one final strike he cast her to the bottom of The Nine Hells where she could never escape. Trapped in an eternity of torture and too proud to admit any wrongdoing, Niddra became a twisted wyrm. Shortly after the conflict Avraban too collapsed from his injuries. Without enough energy to light his sacred fire he could not be reborn, and thus he died. From his corpse, our world grew." The True nature of Avraban (Recommended for DMs only, campaign spoilers) The idea that Avraban dying destroys all things that exist, is not in his true nature. It is very true that Avraban starts anew upon his death, but his death and rebirth rather than destroying a previous reality, creates a new permutation, and due to the unending cycle of his existence, the universes he has created in addition to that which contains Banya are infinite, and due to time only existing linearly within the context of mortal thought, simultaneous. The result of this is the Avrabanian Multiverse, which is the largest construct within which the campaign world exists. Avraban has, intermittently, created other gods in these alternate realities, the most campaign relevant example of which currently is the Astral pantheon, who rule of the distended astral plane in otherworldly fashion. Sources http://www.indiethoughts.com/eastern-trinity-mythos-dnd/ Category:Pantheon